Drying-kiln.



E. E. PERKINS. DRYING KILN. APPLICATION FILED OUT.30, 1911 Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

EMJE.

ELMER E. PERKINS, CF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRYING-KEN.

Application filed October 30, 1911.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Emma E. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying-Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to drying kilns in general and more particularly to kilns designed for drying piano cases, vehicle bodies or like articles which have been veneered or coated with stains, varnishes, enamels, japans, etc.

The successful drying of various kinds of articles requires a modulation of the temperature, humidity and circulation in the drying room correlative with the character of the articles being dried and one of the primary objects of the present invention is the provision of a kiln in which the circulation of the air and the humidity and temperature of the drying room can be regulated and controlled to a fine degree of nicety in conformity with the requirements of the objects being dried.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings the single figure of which shows a perspective view of a drying kiln embodying one form of the invention.

By referring to the drawings it will be observed that the kiln comprises outer walls 5 and inner walls 6 spaced therefrom to form a dead air space between the walls. These walls may be constructed in any preferred manner and are employed merely to produce a heat insulated compartment within which the drying kiln proper is located. The drying room within which the material to bedried is placed comprises the floor 7, the side walls 8 and 9, and the ceiling 11, the side walls and ceiling being spaced from the surrounding walls 6 to form a cooling chamber 12 on one side of the drying room, a heating chamber 13 at the opposite side and a circulating passageway 1% connecting the heating and cooling chambers above the ceiling. The side wall 8 is preferably constructed of uprights 15 to the inner faces of which is secured wooden sheathing which, 1n the preferred construc- Specification of Letters Patent.

I chamber 13.

Patented Dec; 8, 191%.

Serial No. 657,510.

tion, is covered with asbestos board and galvanized iron. The lower edge of the sheathing is spaced from the floor 7 as shown to afford communication between the cooling chamber 12 and the drying room near the bottom of the room. Within the cooling chamber and near the top thereof is mounted a bracket 16 carrying the cooling coils 17 which are connected with any suitable sourceot cooling medium which is circu lated through the coils. cooledby the coils settles to the bottom of the cooling chamber and is discharged into the drying room around the articles to be dried. The wall 8 is provided with doors 18 in front of the coils17 which maybe opened to permit access to the coils whenever desired. The wall 9 On the opposite side of" the drying room is also made of uprightsllQ covered with sheathing, asbestos board and galvanized iron and the lower edge of the wall proper is likewise spaced from the floor 7 to establish communication between the drying room and the heating The lower edge of the wall, however, is considerably higher than the lower edge of the wall on the opposite side of the room to facilitate withdrawal of air from the drying room into the heating chamber as will be later explained more at length. \Vithin the heating chamber 13 are located the heating coils 21 connected with any suitable source ofheating medium, the coils in most cases beieng connected with a steam supply which circulates steam through the coils to heat the air in the chamber 13 which causes it to rise and pass through the circulating passageway 1 over the drying room to the cooling chamber 12 where it is cooled and thereupon settles as previously described.

In order that the temperature of the air in the kiln may be automatically regulated I have provided a thermostat 2'2 located inside the drying room and connected by any approved means with a thermostatically controlled valve located in the inlet pipe to the heating coils. The thermostat automatically actuates this valve to control the admission of heating medium to the coils fihielpeby regulating the temperature of the The air which is For the purpose of moistening the air tween the drying room and the heating in the drying room- I have provided a chamber were decreased to the size and pobranch pipe 24 leading from the heating sition of that between the cooling chamber coils and opening into the room' as shown, and the drying room. l Vith the parts in 5 the admission of steam into the drying room the position as shown in the drawings a. through this pipe being controlled by a large proportion of the air admitted to the hand actuated valve25. A registering therdrying room from the cooling chamber will mometer 26 and a registering hygrometer 27 pass across the room around the articles bemay be located within the drying room to ing dried and directly into the heating 1O record the temperature and humidity of the chamber, the remaining portion circulating air. around the upper portion of the room as The ceiling-11 is composed of a series of previously stated. Should it become desirshutters pivoted at 28 in the side walls, the able to increase the circulation in thedryshutters being connected together by longiing room the sections 32 are raised to there- 15 tudinally extending members 29 so that they by increase the size of the openings between may be simultaneously actuated to close the the drying room and the heating chamber, ceiling or"to"6pen it when desired to esthus proportionately increasing the amount tablish communication between the drying of air that,will be drawn directly into the room and the circulating chamber 14. In heating chamber and correspondingly inac drying stains and veneers it is essential that creasing the circulation.

the moisture be held in the drying room in In drying varnish, enamels, japans, etc., it sufiicient quantity to permit even drying of is desirable that the air circulate with lesser the articles without causing them to crack rapidity than is essential or desirable in or check and when operating upon articles drying stains, veneers and the like and the 25 of this character the ceiling is closed, thus room must, in fact, in order to produce the facilitating the circulation to a certain exmost desirable results, be so regulated that tent and insuring a slow even drying action it is, in efiect, a baking room. In order to throughout the room. I With the ceiling in meet this requirement the ceiling is opened closed position theair which has been cooled by moving the shutters to vertical position 30 by the coils 17 is admitted to the dryin as shown in the drawings, thus permitting room beneath the lower edge of the wall 8 the air to circulate directly upward in the and is forced across toward the heating room. When the drying room is thus utichamber 13. A portion of the air, however, lized a large proportion of the cool air enrises in the drying room, passes up the intering the drying room from the cooling 35 nor face of the wall 9 across the ceiling, chamber 12 rises directly around the articles down the inner face of the wall 8 and thence being dried and passes through the open across to the heating chamber. The air ceiling to the cooling chamber again. It which enters the heating chamber beneath i l be Vi h l ss air is draw iIItO the lower edge of .the wall 9 is heated by the heating chamber from the drying room 40 the coils 21 and rises to the to of'thg when the ceiling is opened and-that a less chamber from whence it passes through the rapid circulation will accordingly result. circulating passageway 14 to the cooling The temperature of the air in the room is, chamber. It will thus be manifest that a of course, maintained by the heating coils in continuous and uniform circulation of air the heating chamber and a suflicient circu- 45 is mai tai d, I rd r th t the ir ulalation will be continued to keep the temperati y b i r a d, if d ired, I have ture of the drying room uniform throughmade the l w r rti f'th wall 9 i ecout. The circulation of air from the dryin tions which are hinged together as shown. Chamber to the cooling chamber through the h s ti n' 31 i fr t f th il 21 may circulatmg passageway will tend to draw 50 be raised to permit access to the coils when the air slowly from the drying room desired. The secti ns 32 whi h are hi g d through the'ceiling but the rapid circulation to the lower edge of the sections 31 und which takes place when the ceiling is closed ordinary conditions assume the position is very materially reduced by opening the shown in the drawings, the size of the enceiling and the room becomes, in effect, as

55 ing between the drying .room and the'heathBIQiIIbBf-OIB Stated, ng 'OOming chamber being limited by the lower edge It is believed that my invention and many of these sections. The, upper edge of the of its attendant advantages will be underopening between the heating chamber and stood from the foregoing without further the drying room is disposed at, a higher description and it will be obvious that the 60 lane than the upper edge of the opening temperature and humidity of the air in the etween the cooling chamber and the drykiln and also the direction of the air curing room to facilitate circulation, since it rents and the amount of circulation can be will be obvious that the circulation would readily and easily controlled. be greatly diminished if the opening be- While I have shown and described in deroom, a heating chamber locate tail the construction of a preferred form of my invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various mechanical variations in the size, shape, proportion and arrangement of the variousparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the material advantages thereof.

I claim:

'1. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber at oneside of the room and communicating with the interior of the room near the floor, a cooling cham her at the opposite side of the room and communicating with the interior of theroom near the floor thereof, the upper edge of the communication between the drying room and the heating chamber being higher from the floor than the upper edge of the opening between the drying room and the cooling chamber, whereby to facilitate circulation through the room, and means forming a circulating passageway above the ceiling of the room connecting the drying and cooling chambers whereby the air rising in,v the heating chamber is conveyed above the room to the cooling chamber.

2. A drying kiln comprisin a drying at one side of said room and communicating with the interior of said room throughout its length near the floor thereof, a cooling chamber located at the opposite side of the room and also communicating with the interior of the room throughout its length near the floor, and means forming a circulating passageway connecting the heating chamber and the cooling chamber above the ceiling of the room, the upper edge of the opening between the drying room and the heating chamber being disposed in a higher plane than the upper edge of the opening between the room and the cooling chamber whereby to facilitate circulation of the air through the room.

3. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber and a cooling chamber located on opposite sides of the room, the lower edges of the walls between the cooling and heating chambers and the drying room being spaced from the floor to establish communication betweeng'ithe room and the chambers, means for varying the size of the communicating openings between the drying room and heatin g chamber whereby to regulate the circulation within the room, and means forming a circulating passageway disposed above the ceiling of the drying room and connecting the heating chamber with the cooling chamber. 7

4. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber and a cooling chamber located at opposite sides of the room and communicating with the interior means chamber located of the room near the bottom thereof, means forming a circulating passageway connecting the heating chamber and the cooling chamber above the ceiling of the drying room, heating coils arranged in said drying chamber, and cooling coils arranged in said cooling chamber on a higher plane than said heating coils in the heating chamber whereby a circulation will be maintained due to the difference in weights of the columns of air below the cooling coils and above the heating coils, respectively.

5. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber, a cooling chamber, means forming a circulating passageway connecting said heating and cooling chambers, and adjustable means for establishing communication between the drying room and the circulating passageway.

6. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber located at one side thereof and communicating with the room near the floor, a cooling chamber located at the opposite side of the room and communicating with the interior of the room near the floor, means forming a circulating passageway disposed above the floor and connecting said heating and cooling chambers, and adjustable means for shutting ofi and establishing at Will communication between the top of the drying room and the circulating passageway.

7. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a cooling chamber communicating with one side of the room near the floor, a heating'chamber communicating with the opposite side of the room near the floor, forming a circulating passageway connecting said chambers above the ceiling of the room, and a series of shutters forming the ceiling of the room and adapted when opened to establish communication between the top of the room'and the circulating passageway.

8. A drying room, a heating kiln comprising a drying chamber and a cooling on opposite sides of the room, the walls dividing said chambers from the room being spaced from the floor to establish communication between said chambers and the room throughout their length, a heating coil arranged in said heating chamber, thermostatic means for controlling the admission of a heating medium to said coils, cooling coils located in the cooling chamber at a higher level than said heating coils, means forming a circulating passageway connecting said heating and cooling chambers above the room, and means for establishing communication between the top of said room and said circulating passageway.

9. A drying kiln comprisin a dry ng room, a heating chamber and a cooling chamber located on opposite sides of the room, means forming a circulating passageway connecting said chambers above the room, adjustable shutters forming the ceiling of the room and adapted when open to establish communication between the room and the circulating passageway, the side walls of the room being spaced from the floor to establish communication between the floor and the heating and cooling chambers.

' admitting moisture into the interior of the room, and cooling coils located in said cooling chamber at a higher level than the heating coils, said parts being constructed and arranged to maintain a circulation of air through the drying room.

10. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a cooling chamber located at one side of the room, a heating chamber located at the opposite side of the room from the cooling chamber, the separating walls between said heating and cooling chambers and the room being provided with openings, the upper edge of one of said openings being disposed at a higher elevation than the upper edge of the other opening, and means forming a circulating passageway above the ceiling of the room connecting said drying and cooling chambers whereby circulation is maintained. I

11. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber located at one side of the room, a cooling chamber located at the opposite side of the room, the lower edges of the walls between the cooling and heating chambers and the drying room being spaced from the floor at different heights to establish communication between the room and the chambers whereby circulation will be maintained due to the difference in weights of the columns of air in the respective chambers, and means forming a circulating passageway disposed above the ceiling of the drying room and connecting said heating and cooling chambers.

12. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber and a cooling chamber located at opposite upright sides of said room and communicating with the interior of the room near the bottom thereof, a passageway above said drying room, connecting said heating chamber and said cooling chamber and providing communication therebetween outside of said drying room, said passageway being free from obstructions tending to retard the flow of air ,rneaeea therethrough, heating coils in said heating chamber, and cooling coils in said cooling chamber.

13. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber and a cooling chamber located at opposite uprightsides of the room and communicating with the room near the bottom thereof, a passageway above said drying room connecting said heating chamber and said cooling chamber and providing communication therebetween outside of said drying room, said passageway having controllable means for establishing direct communication between said drying room and said passageway, heating means in the heating chamber, and cooling means in the cooling chamber.

14. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber at one upright side thereof, a cooling chamber at another upright side thereofand communicating near its bottom with the drying room, a circulating passageway above the room, connecting the heating chamber and the cooling chambar, and provided with means to establish and cut off communication between said drying room and passageway, heating means in the heating chamber, and cooling means in the cooling chamber.

15. A drying kiln comprising a drying room, a heating chamber located at one of the upright sides of the said room and communicating with the room near the floor thereof, a cooling chamber located at another upright side of the room and communicating with the room near the floor thereof, a passageway connecting the upper ends of said chambers outside of the drying room, said passageway being free from obstructions tending to retard the flow of air therethrough, heating means in the heating'chamher to cause an upward flow of air in said chamber, and cooling means located within the cooling chamber and beneath its upper end for producing a downward flow of air in the cooling chamber.

16. A drying kiln comprising top, bottom and side walls, a partition spaced from one side wall and having its top disposed a sub stantial distance beneath said top wall, heating means located between said partition and its adjacent side wall, a second imperforate partition spaced from the opposite side wall and having its top disposed a substantial distance beneath said top wall, and cooling means located between said last named partition and its adjacent side wall, the lower edges of said partitions being spaced from the floor of the drying room to permit a flow of air from the cooling means into the drying room and from the drying room to the heating means.

17. A drying kiln comprising a top, bottom and upright side walls, an upright parhaving the individual coils thereof supported one above the other adjacent to the upright side wall opposite said heating means whereby a downfiow of air is caused 10 in the kiln on the opposite side of the kiln from the upflow caused by the heating means.

ELMER E. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

IRA J. lVILSoN, M. A. KIDDIE. 

